Scrap medals #1 & 2 copper ect

[mposs545]

Newbie here. Curious how this works exactly?
I had som scrap I wanted to sell but it's Sunday so basically google lead me here?!?

[kss]

#1 no solder or paint or anything. Just copper (tubing or other.... But stripped wire should get you a higher price that #1 as 'bare bright')

#2 same as #1 but allowed to have solder on it

Usually if I have copper pipes I cut off all the joints where there is solder and all that goes as #2 (or sometimes the joints are brass) and then the rest (clean copper pipe) goes as #1. The pricing difference isn't HUGE but usually worth the few seconds to do some separating for a few extra cents per lb


Currently prices at my yard are

Bare bright $2.70/lb
#1 $2.65/lb
#2 $2.45/lb
Sheet/light copper $2.30/lb

[eesakiwi]

It depends on where you are, maybe 9n what yard you go to, and what they are aiming to sell at the time.
Here.
#1 is 'Berry Copper'. Basically clean Copper wire, without varnish or oxidation, that's come from electrical cables, like welders leads, or heavy duty cable that's had the outer insulation sheith removed.
And heavy clean, no solder or dirt, Copper tubing.

#2 Copper wire with varnish on it.
I used to get #2 prices for Microwave transformer coils, it's a solidly wound coil with varnish & some glue/extra varnish & paper insulation stuck to it. Now I don't, its 'Copper domestic'.

Copper Domestic, basically any Copper in any shape, that's not contaminated with another metal except Silver solder soldered plumbing joints.

Copper/Ali, Aluminium radiators with Copper tubing in them. Airconditioning radiators, Computer heatsinks.

Copper/Brass, Car radiators, the older Copper sort, Copper contaminated with Brass such as fittings.

Copper sheet might have its own price.

Copper hot water cylinders, it might be just a NewZealand thing though

[hills]

The basic categories where i am are:

Bare bright: It's solid bare wire that is at least 16 gauge or larger. It's also bare cable which is composed of individual strands that are at least sixteen gauge or larger. As the name implies, it has to be bright and shiny like a new penny.

#1 copper: It could be any wire or cable that is 16 gauge or larger that is tarnished. Also unused plumbing fittings & pipe that are tarnished.

#2 copper: ( The most common scrap copper ) It's mostly wire and pipe that is contaminated in some way. Paint, varnish, heavily tarnished with a green color. Also, tinned copper wire & cable that looks silvery. Also, any bare wire or cable that is finely stranded. Most stripped out welding cable would fall into this category because the individual strands are less than 16 gauge.

Sheet copper: Either copper sheet -or- most anything made from a sheet of copper. Copper hot water heater tanks seem to fall into this category because they were originally made from sheets of copper.

All around ... every yard is a little different in the way they grade their scrap. Just ask the scale guy if you are uncertain about something.